Leica MP 0.85 rangefinder

[soy]

I believe that the rangefinder of the MP with 0.85 magnification has light frames for lenses from 35mm to 135mm, not for 28mm. Can a user of this variant of the MP tell me if the 35mm frame is easy to see if you wear glasses?

 

[Mister E]

I can tell you that even on the .72 Leicas glasses wearers have trouble with the 35mm lines. The .85 moves them out of view even more, so it won't be easy to see, but a lot depends on you and your glasses.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

The 0.85 viewfinder is more difficult for the glasses wearer at the 35mm viewfinder but very pleasant and easy for the 50mm and above. If your predominant lens is the 35mm then the 0.85 viewfinder, if you werar glasses, would not be IMHO recommended.

 

[htimsdj]

I have an MP with .72, and I cannot see the entire 35mm framelines. It would be even more difficult with the .85.

 

[Mister E]

I can't shoot these lousy, low magnification Leica finders with both eyes open. It makes me dizzy, now life sized finders like I have on my Nikon S2 and SP, those I can use with both eyes open, but don't prefer to.

If I was going to shoot 35mm on the M3 I'd probably get a googled cron or summaron.

 

[pphuang]

The 35mm framelines will be just outside the edge of the viewfinder while wearing glasses with a 0.85 mag viewfinder. However, it is so close to the edge that I just use the whole viewfinder as my "35". I agree with Thomas, if you like being able to see "outside" the frame, learn to shoot with both eyes open, which works extremely well....

 

[richkayser]

When wearing my glasses, which have frames that place the lens rather close to the eye, I can see the entire 35mm frame of my .85 M6 with relative ease -- when I shoot with both eyes open. If I close my non-focusing eye, I can see both horizontal framelines and one vertical frameline easily. I "know" or "sense" where the other vertical line lies. Both eyes open is my preferred approach.

As others have noted above, eyeglass frame design, the structure of one's face and the individual brain's tolerance for visual input at two different, but relatively close magnifications all come into play.

 

[John Lawrence]

When shooting 35mm lenses with my .85 M6 TTL I tend to adopt the approach of 'what you see is what you get' with the finder and just ignore the framelines.

John

 

[sweat100]

I am using the 0.85x MP and not wearing glasses. The 35mm frame lines are almost touching the edges of what you can see in the view finder. It was getting difficult for me to see the frame lines, but I am still able to see them. I suppose with glasses, you may not be able to see the frame lines.

 

[Nugard]

I have MP and wear glasses... It's impossible to see hole frameline at once...

 

[soy]

Thanks to all for valuable information on the topic. Some years ago, I sent my M3 to Solms to get the rangefinder images properly aligned, and got it back, not only with the alignment in order, but with a new viewfinder with frames for 35, 50, 90 and 135mm lenses, plus a new shutter as well (Needless to say that there also was an unexpected invoice...). The camera works like new, but the adding of the 35mm framelines without changing the original M3 magnification of, I believe, 0.91, forces me to move the eye around to control what gets into the picture when I use the 35mm. This problem, with the inconvenience of having to use a handheld meter, makes me consider acquiering a MP. I believe the 35 frames of the 0,85 should be more easy to see wearing glasses than those of my renewed M3.
However, the great and clear finder image is a dream with the 50mm and the two longer lenses.

 

[mfogiel]

If you want to shoot 35mm (and 28mm) lenses and you wear glasses, there are 2 good options: a Leica with a 0.58 magnification, or the Zeiss Ikon. For 50 and longer lenses the 0.85x is certainly the best. I use 2 M7 bodies: 0.58x and 0.85x on purpose for that.

 

[peter_n]

There's a third option; the CV R4M. It's specifically designed for wides and super-wides and it's a heck of a camera.

 

[mtargz]

The fourth option being a Hexar RF, at 0.60x - I can see the entire 35mm frame with glasses. Even 28mm is possible if I press it close.